Cruise ship grounds off PNG, passengers to fly home

The ship’s operators, the NRMA-owned Coral Expeditions, have engaged a towage provider to help refloat the ship, with those efforts still under way on Monday.

“The extent of any damage to the ship’s hull is not known but water ingress is not reported,” Mitchell said.

The ship’s voyage data recorder had been quarantined and investigators were collecting ship tracking data, weather information and crew, operator and maintenance records.

A Coral Expeditions spokesperson said initial inspections indicated no damage to the vessel, with further inspections to be conducted once the vessel was refloated.

“Acknowledging that we have not been able to deliver the exceptional experience expected by our guests on this occasion, Coral Expeditions has decided to end the tour,” they said in a statement on Monday.

The company confirmed no one had been injured and all passengers would be flown out of PNG on a charter flight.

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After the death of 80-year-old passenger Suzanne Rees in October, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority launched an investigation with head count practices and staffing levels under scrutiny.

Rees had been hiking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers but broke off from the group after feeling unwell.

She never returned to the ship, which left the island but returned hours later once the crew realised Rees was missing.